Understanding Umbilical cord blood vessels

Cord blood vessels are found in the umbilical cord and placenta. After a baby is born, the umbilical cord and placenta are cut, severing the remaining cords. The cords are then placed in special storage containers. Cord blood can be extracted from cord blood vessels for medical use. Cord blood contains stem cells, which can be used to treat a variety of conditions. When you donate your cord blood, you may receive financial benefits or free health services. Check with your doctor to see if donating your cord blood is right for you.


Many pregnant ladies may often subject themselves to the ultrasound based clinical examination in order to check up the status of the different areas related to the fetus.

In the process, one may be naturally interested to know about the umbilical cord blood vessel and particularly the umbilical cord artery and the umbilical vein.

In the scanning results, most of the times, the scanning personnel may indicate the number of umbilical vessels of the pregnant female, in details.

There is no doubt that having adequate number of umbilical cord blood vessels is always good for the health of baby to be delivered, in general.

However, it is also equally true that certain times, though the number of umbilical cord blood vessel may be found less, the baby has been delivered in a healthy and satisfactory condition. Hence, the pregnant mother need not worry on this always.

Scientists have also encountered few genetic disorders in some cases, wherein one of the umbilical cord blood vessels is not clearly found when the concerned female is subjected to the ultrasound examination.

To quote an example that in one such case the mal formation of kidneys of a male baby was encountered.However, this abnormality may not be expected in all such incidences.

Whenever there is missing of one of the umbilical cord blood vessel, if there is no other abnormality the pregnant lady need not be afraid or stressed.

The umbilical cord blood vessels get ruptured, subsequent to the severing of the cord, along with placenta. The umbilical cord is the only bondage between the mother and the baby.

Blood from the severed umbilical cord blood vessels is being collected carefully in the blood collection bag.

Many agencies dealing with cord blood will be sending by medical courier these collection bags to collect blood during the time of delivery of baby.This blood from umbilical cord blood vessel collected in the bag has plenty of important cells called stem cells.

These blood cells of umbilical cord blood vessel often have the capability to be regrown into various cells of organs like liver, spleen, pancreas etc. Hence, always this becomes a hot cake in case of healthy delivery of baby.

However the blood from umbilical cord blood vessel needs to be collected without delay either by the obstetrician.